The present invention relates to a mechanism in an igniting rod which emits a flame from the tip of a rod-shaped extending portion in response to an igniting operation, the mechanism normally enabling an ignition lock by allowing a lock member to be locked with an operating member, while enabling ignition by releasing the ignition lock by releasing the lock member when in use.
The igniting rod is useful in that it allows one to obtain a flame by simply pushing an operating member. The igniting rod is required to have a locking mechanism in order to prevent those who do not know the proper handling of the rod from inadvertently operating it, or an accidental ignition. To this end, there have been proposed a number of igniting rods equipped with various such mechanisms according to the prior art.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8(1996)-61673 discloses a mechanism comprising a lock member which enables the ignition to be locked by having a lock portion interfere with a part of the operating member. The lock member is disposed movably in a direction intersecting the direction of movement of the operating member. There is also provided an urging member for urging the lock member toward a lock direction. The lock member further comprises a lock release member which can be moved against the urging member. The lock release member is disposed in a protruding manner near an operating portion of the operating member. In this igniting rod, after ignition is performed after moving the lock member to a release position, the lock member is adapted to automatically return to a lock position from the release position.
However, this lock mechanism comprising the lock member and the spring urging member for urging the lock member toward the lock direction is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of assembly, posing a hindrance to the increase in productivity in mass production. The mechanism is also disadvantageous in terms of operability due to the fact that the ignition requires multiple-stage operations.
Specifically, complicated work is involved in assembling the two parts, i.e., the lock member and urging member, together. It is also necessary to deform the urging member to some extent when it is assembled. Thus it is difficult to efficiently assemble those parts inside the main body with other parts already mounted thereon. Furthermore, when the lock is to be released for the ignition operation during a normal state of use, the fact that the lock release member is disposed away from the operating member and is in the shape of a protrusion causes a lack in coordination between the releasing operation and the pushing of the operating member. This results in complicated operations in multiple stages and in some cases it is difficult to obtain stable ignition.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an igniting rod for obtaining a flame by the operation of the operating member, wherein the ignition lock, the lock release and the automatic return can be performed while ensuring ease of assembly and satisfactory operability.
The igniting rod according to the present invention comprises a rod-shaped extending portion with an ejection nozzle for the ejection of gas attached at the tip, a valve mechanism for the opening and closing of gas supply to the ejection nozzle from a tank portion, and a piezoelectric unit for generating a discharge voltage for ignition. The igniting rod also comprises an operating member slidably disposed in a main body portion, the operating member actuating the valve mechanism and the piezoelectric unit for an ignition operation. A lock member is mounted near the operating member. The lock member has a lock portion which is adapted to interfere with a part of the operating member for locking the ignition operation by the operating member. The lock portion is disposed in such a manner as to be capable of being displaced to a lock position and a release position as it elastically deforms from a fixed portion where said lock member is fixedly attached to the main body portion. The lock portion is also capable of moving back to the lock position due to the elastic force of the lock member itself. Further, the lock member has a lock release portion whereby the lock portion can be moved to the release position. The lock release portion is formed in a protruding manner with a smooth curvature and mounted at a position facing the operating portion of the operating member such that the finger operating the operating portion can simultaneously contact the smooth curvature of the lock release member. Thus, an igniting operation can be carried out by operating the operating portion of the operating member while releasing the ignition locking by operating the lock release portion of the lock member. Thereafter, as the operating member moves back, the lock portion of the lock member automatically returns to the lock position on account of the elastic force thereof.
The lock member preferably comprises at an end thereof a fixed portion fixedly attached to the main body portion, and a protruding lock release portion with a smooth curved surface. The lock release portion is continuous with the fixed portion via a connecting portion which can be elastically deformed. The lock member further preferably comprises at its tip portion a hook-shaped lock portion which is capable of automatically returning back to the lock position due to the elastic force of the connecting portion.
In this igniting rod, when the lock member is in the lock position with the lock release portion protruding due to the elastic force, the lock portion interferes with the operating member, thereby blocking the movement of the operating member and thus maintaining an ignition lock. As the finger rests on the operating portion of the operating member in preparation for an ignition operation, the finger also comes into contact with the lock release portion with the smooth curvature of the lock member. As the lock release portion is operated inwardly toward the release position against the elastic force, the lock portion shifts to the release position to thereby nullify the interference between the lock portion and the operating portion. As a result, the operating member can be moved so as to ignite the fuel gas ejected in response to the movement of the operating member. Thereafter, as the operating member and the lock member are released, the operating member moves back. At the same time, the lock portion of the lock member is shifted to a part of the operating portion, i.e., to the lock position, by its own elastic force. Thus, the igniting rod automatically returns to the ignition locked state.
Thus, the igniting rod according to the invention requires the operation of releasing the lock member prior to the ignition operation of the operating member. This makes it difficult for those who do not know the proper handling of the igniting rod to release the lock, so that unintended ignition can be prevented. Further, as the igniting rod automatically returns to the locked state after the returning of the operating member, there is no fear of the igniting rod being left in the lock-released state. Thus the locked state can be ensured when the igniting rod is not emitting a flame, thereby increasing the reliability. The igniting rod according to the invention is further advantageous in operability. This is because, in a normal state of use, the lock releasing operation can be performed in coordination with the placing of the finger on the operating portion of the operating member, due to the smooth curvature formed on the lock release portion. Furthermore, since the returning of the lock portion of the lock member back to the lock position is performed by utilizing the elastic force of the lock member itself, there is no need to provide a separate urging member. Consequently, the number of parts can be reduced and it becomes easier to assemble the parts, so that enhanced productivity can be obtained.